Dishwashing machine and plural liquid spray means therefor



Nov. 20, 1951 F, T, HlLLlKER 2,575,493

DISHWASHING MACHINE AND PLURAL LIQUID SPRAY MEANS THEREFOR Filed-May 28, 1949 FRANK T HILLlKl-:R-

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 20, 1951 i'DISHVASHING*MACHINE AND PLURAL LIQUID SPRAY BIEANS THEREFOR elillailns.

`.iD-his vinvention :relates in general tto certain new `:and useful improvements in dishwashing machines. Y

.-pr'irnary-zobect1offthe present-:inventionzis :toaprovidefa dishwasliingmiachirieavliitzhfisscam` pact in size and economical .in ccost .fof liconstruction .It :.isfanother object ofthe presentiinventionto :provide a dishwashing: machine whichf isfunusual- Ilyxeconomical-ini operationsandis .capable of; using -rinse water containing :afdishesterilizingfagentso -.that:the` excessiveandnvastefulzuse of iarge. `eman- 'tities offextremelyhot Water;` as hitherto: required, .'maynowbe obviate'd.

SItiis .also an objectf'of :the present @invention to -.-provide;a dishwashingfinachinezadapted:for performing successive :washing :and .rinsing .soperations in *the l:Same :chamber nvvthoiit intermixtur'e of the washingfandrinsing solutionsiandfparticu- 'larly -without contaminationnffthe rinse iwater -by wash water.

It :is :a :further objectief .the .present invention to provide .a Vdishwashing machine iembodying valve fmeans actuatedbypressureimpartedito'fthe washing and rinsing :solutions for .circulatingithe solutions through the machine returningssameito their respective tankso'f origin.

kItis an a'dditionalobject of y.the fpresentim/en tion -to -provide -dishwashing machines having means for effecting lWashing and jrinsingfoperations in timedsequence.

lWith the Vabove and other objects `:in view/my -invention resides in the novel features Aof vvform, construction, arrangement, and combination `fof `parts Jpresently Fdescribedfand zpo'intedeut in ifthe 'claims VIn 'the'accompanyingedrawing- Figure 1 isa -front sectionalview of Afa* dishwashing 'machine constructed f in accordance with and embodyingr the presentinven'tion;

Figure 2 is fa sectional -view taken along -lines '-2-#2fof Figure l;l and Figures -3 and 4-are fragmentary"sectional vviews taken along lines '-3-3 vtand *IL-'4, respectively, 'of 'Figure 2.

Referring -now in `more detail and -'-by reference characters tothefdrawingfwhich illustrates yapre- -ferred embodiment of vthe present invention, yA

designates a dishwashing machine comprising a cabinet LI, lpreferably rectangularly shaped, and supported at tits :lower lcorners `by *legs 2. The IUpper portion'o'f the cabinet `I iis-adapted tojprovide -an enclosed chamber '43 "having a pair of transversely :extending parallel `tracks A1I, #4', ffabricated `-o'f -angle iron Jfand Jcommunicating at either end with conventional fservice lltables 5 .through-.doors 6, IIi'fmoimtediin theoppositeside walls; of the-chamber. 3 :.for vertical'i-slidingffmove- .-mentWhereby fconventionaldishwashingiracks 'I containingesoiledstableware rl may be easilylfin- 8, .-9, are: connected-'at their forward ends-totrans- -versely extending heads ,for @manifolds '.I2, 4:3,

15 fspective'ly, .which are; in :turnfconnected tofaevertiv4of the fchamber .-3 lfand. extending inwardly from #the side :walls thereof a `flange I 5 tolthe :under- .faee l:of which is isuitably z-secured, i as -rby welding,

.-the uppermargins Aofadrainror catch .plate I6, .which extends .across the.-y chamber 3 `-and .forms the v.bottoni thereof. Said `.plate -.-I6 yinclines .or

.slopes downwardly atoward its reenter, as .at FIS.

v@peiling upwardly: into .therearward cent1-'almor- :tion-of-the drain plate. I6.isaV.-shaped-.drain valve .I l .having .its sides-.opendn the .forma-tionrofadischarge .ports ISI C i. I 'I' .and .-isprovided nwith .a 4de- .ectononappermember :I mounted .upona rock shaft .I9 -journaled in.and.-extending through .the

endwallsofthevalvel 'Isaiddeiiector. memberfl 8 iis thereby adapted, upon rotation .-of the-shaft 19, to .rest optionally .closure-.Wise across one .or ,the

' other .of the .ports i I l', I 1., v.fordirectingdrainage ias .through theopenportIJi,.or.I'I{,.as the casemay be, .and .into .one -.or otherfo'f two. supply tanksll,

...2I, into -which the drain yvalve I1 I,opens-.through Lthe .ports HC, [1 f,. respectively,- said .-tanks2', .I2 I being fprovided ,in the bottom, portion of fthe cabinet .I `by the division .-thereoflby a `4,centrally .disposedtransversely.extending wallfZZ.

Adj acent `the .rearward :end of .the drain valve Il, the riser Il is connected to a vdouble check vali/o23, .in horizontal alignment with the drain valve Il andprovided witha delector or 'flapper .member '24 mounted on the forward end off the rock shaft Ill-Which 4extendsthrough the valve 23 and-is j ournaled'in'the-wa'lls thereof. Itwillthus beseen that the deflectors 18, 2'4, wil1,upon rotationof ythe `rock shaft 19, swing 'in unison A'inthe same direction. Communicating withfeach lside of the valve "23 V-arepipesbr risers 125, .26, which extend downwardly into the supply 'tanks 20, 32 I vrespec'tively. Each 4of said "pipes 2 5, '26, Ais 'connested at'itsloweriend fpumps 251,2 8, :preferably :of the. centrifugal type, wh'iohare 'supportednpon :thebottom wall oftheca'binet I and are eachre ed rinse water.

` through the orifices l0, Il.

be disposed within a water-tight compartment is provided beneath the tank 2l in the base of the' cabinet l. f

Disposed within the tank 2Q for maintenance of j the level of iiuid therein is an upstanding Aoverflow pipe 25 connected at its lower' end 36 in the base oi the cabinet l; 1*

A conventional timing switch 31 for cyclically reversing direction of the' motor 33 fornalterna'te engagement of the pumps 21, 2S in timedsequence.

In operation, the tanks 20,*2l, are respectively il supplied with a quantity of washing solution ci requisite detergent strength and chemically treati The tray 1 of soiled tablewarev 1 is then moved, as by pushing, along the table `5 through the door 6 and into the chamber 3 whereupon the doors S, are closed, the motor 33 started by setting the switch 31 at its central position. The motor 33 will rotate in Such di# rection as will cause motion to be transmitted through the clutch 3| for actuation of the pump v121-whereby*washing-solution is forced upwardly through the pipe 25 and into the valve If the deiiectorrplate 24 is disposed blockingly across" the side of the valve 23 communicating with the upper end of the pipe 25, the force with which the washing solution is being impelled upwardly 'will cause the deflector plate 2li to be swung away from the pipe A2E', and into closure-wise disposition `across the upper end of the pipe 25. Thereby opening the valve 23 for the washing solution and simultaneously preventing any of the wash-` ing solution from `entering the tank 2i through the pipe 26. Upon such swinging movement of the def-lector 24, the deflector I8 of'the drain valve l1 will be correspondingly swung into position across the port I1" thereof, thus directing drain fluid back into the tank 20 and preventingany flow into the tank2l. The Washingsolution will 'continue its course upwardly vthrough vthe riser I4, alongthe manifolds i2, I 3, thence along the pipes 8, 9, and outwardly onto the tableware The Washing solution will drain downwardly, onto the drain pipe I6, thence into the valve I1 and will flow through the port I1" for returntov its tank of origin Thus, it will be seen that throughout the entire l operation none of the washing solution entered ,'.the tank 2| for dilution and contamination of the rinse water.

The washing cycle continues for the selected .,interval to which the timing mechanism ci the switch 31 is set and upon the completion of such interval the switch 31 will automatically reverse Y* the motor 33, thereby causing the clutch 3i and its associated Dump 21 to stop.- At the same time the clutch 32 and its associated pump 2t starts rotating, forcing rinse water upwardlyl through the pipe 26, causing the deiiector 2d to swing in lthe oppostedirection for efectively blocking the opening to theupper end of the pipe 25. Simulytaneously, the deiiector I8 is swung closure-wise lacross the port l1', whereby, the. rinsewaters4 toa drain isV provided upon drainage, will be directed back into its tank of origin 2l.

The rinsing cycle will continue, in turn, for the selected interval to which the switch 31 is set, and at the completion of such interval the motor 33 will be shut 01T entirely. The tray 1 may then be pushed outwardly through the opposite door 6 and the dishes allowed to drain. The chamber 3 is, of course, now ready to receive another trayful of dirty dishes for a subsequent wishing and rinsing operation.

If desired, the motor 33 may be operated manuallyfor alternate engagement of the pumps 21, 28.v

Thus it will be seen that throughout continued usage of the machine A the solutions will be kept totallydistinct without any danger of impairment of their respective strength by admixture with the other.

It should be understood that changes and modiiications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the dishwashing machine may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described .without departing from the nature and principle ci my invention.

Having thus described my invention-'what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A dishwashing machine comprising rst and second tanks adapted to receive fluids, said mafchine having a chamber for reception of tableware, spray members provided in said chamber,A a conduit member connecting said spray members with each of said first and second tanks, huid lifting means associated with each of said tanks, a valve` having a rockable closure element adapted to swing from a first position to a second position responsive to the pressure imparted to the iiuids by the iluid lifting means for permitting passage through the conduit member of duid from one or the other of said tanks a drain plate located beneath the chamber having two openings respectively discharging to the iirst and second tanks, movable closure means for optionally blocking one or the other of said openings, and actuating means operatively connecting said closure means and the rockable closure element so that the closure means is moved into one or theother of its positions by corresponding movement of therrockable closure element.

2. A dishwashing machine comprising rst and second tanks adapted to receive fluids, said machine having a chamber for receiving tableware, spray members provided in said chamber, a riser connected to said spray members, conduit members respectively connected to said iirst and second tanks, iiuid lifting means associated with each of said tanks, a valve member interposed between the riser andconduit members, a rockable closure element swingably mounted in said valve for optional movement into one or the other of two positions responsive to the pressure imparted to the fluids by their rsepective lifting means so that when iluid from one tank is flowing through one conduit member the closure element will assume one position and when fluid is flowingthrough the other conduit member the closure element will assume the other position, a' drain plate located beneath the chamber having two openings respectively discharging to the first and second tanks, a deector for optionally blocking one or the other of said openings, and a shaft operativelyconnecting said delector and the rockable closure element so that the dedector is movedinto .one or the other ofv its positions by corresponding movement of the rockable closure element. Y

3. A dishwashing machine comprising rst and second tanks adapted to receive uids, said machine having a chamber for receiving tableware, spray members provided in said chamber, a conduit member connecting said spray members with each of said rst and second tanks, a drain plate disposed in said chamber, a drain valve housing provided in said drain plate, said drain valve having discharge ports opening into said first and second tanks, fluid lifting means associated with each tank, an inlet valve housing disposed between the spray members and the rst and second tanks, a shaft extending through said drain valve housing and inlet valve housing, a first deector member mounted on said shaft and disposed within the drain valve housing for optional positioning across one or the other of said ports, a second deflector member mounted on said shaft and disposed in said inlet valve housing, the second deector member being actuated for swinging movement by the pressure imparted to the fluids by the respective fluid lifting means whereby the uids may independently be circulated through the machine and at the same time the first deflector member may be correspondingly positioned so that fluids will be returned to their tanks of origin.

4. A dishwashing machine comprising rst and second tanks disposed in substantially contiguous side-by-side relationship, a chamber disposed above and extending across both tanks, said chamber being adapted for receiving tableware, spray members provided in said chamber, a riser connected to said spray members, conduit members respectively connected to said rst and second tanks, pumps associated with each of said tanks and respectively connected to the conduit members, a valve member interposed between the riser and conduit members and positioned in a position approximately intermediate between the two tanks, a rockable closure element swingably mounted in said valve for optional movement into one or the other of two positions respectively by the pressure imparted to the'uids by the respective pumps so that when fluid from one tank is owing through one conduit member the closure element will assume one position and when uid is flowing through the other conduit member the closure element will assume the other position, a drain plate located beneath the chamber and above the tanks, said drain plate having a bottom wall which is inclined from its outer margins toward a central area, which central area is located approximately above the two tanks in the region of their contiguity, a depending sump-like drain chamber located in and forming a part of such central area of the drain plate, said drain chamber having two discharge openings one communicating with one tank and the other communicating with the other tank, a deflector plate rockably mounted in the drain chamber for optionally closing one or the other of said openings, and a shaft rigidly mounted to the deector and the rockable closure element of the valve so that the movement of the closure element will actuate the deflector member so that when fluid is being pumped from one tank lthe deector will be so positioned that the drain opening communicating with such tank will be open and the fluid will drain back into the tank of origin.

FRANK T. HILLIKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 111e of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,656,139 Breton Jan. 10, 1928 1,662,496 Forsgard Mar. 13, 1928 2,044,921 Swanland June 23, 1936 2,252,501 Foresman Aug. 12, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 544,010 Germany Feb. 12, 1932 

